The cobblestones were slick from the mist as we walked beside the canals to see James Taylor play at an intimate gathering in San Marco Piazza, Venice. Had the weather stayed as it had been, the stars would have been sparkling like pin holes through a sheet. Instead, we were paying tourist rates for last minute umbrellas and vinyl slickers.  All in attendance were quickly decorated with blue, red, and yellow covers.

The rain came down in waves, washing away first the heat of the day and then the grime of too many people in too small of a space. It then took away those that didn’t have the heart and passion for the music and musician.

There are so many artists I would pay to see, but not pay to see and take a shower. JT is not one of them. He is the first artist I remember listening to on LP with any frequency. I also pump music into our bathroom, so showering and JT is not an infrequent pairing.

The audience sat still and lifeless as the rain pummeled them. James must have realized he was going to lose the crowd’s motivation unless he shook things up. First he played his top hits, then he invited those that remained to come up front and hang together. Wow! Did the energy swell. No one remained seated and everyone began jammin’! He warned us the venue would only allow three more songs….Eight or ten songs later he finished up a great and memorable concert.

How far will your customer go to spend time with you? How far would you go to help them keep their enthusiasm and validate that they made a great decision to stay?